System76 Bonobo Extreme

Want a high-end, no-compromises Ubuntu Linux laptop? Then what you want is System76's Bonoboo Extreme. No, at $1,549, it's not cheap, but it is loaded. Even if you don't want to give to little Johnnie maybe you should consider treating yourself with this high-end laptop this holiday season.

System76 Darter UltraThin

OK, so your credit-card can't stand the strain of a Bonobo Extreme, how about System76's Darter UltraThin for $899? No, it's not as nifty, but with Linux it still have more than enough power to do anything you're ever likely to do with a laptop.

ZaReason Alto 4335

At an even lower price-point, $699, you'll find ZaReason's Alto 4335. This model, unlike the System76 ones, gives you pretty much any choice of desktop Linux that strikes your fancy. And, like the Darter UltraThin, with Linux its lower-end hardware is still more than powerful enough to do useful work.

2013 Nexus 7

How much do I like the Nexus 7? I bought the fully-loaded model the first day it was out. Now, thanks to Black Friday sales at numerous retailers, you can buy the same one for less. Look for prices for the 32GB model at $189.

Kindle Fire HDX

If you'd prefer a Kindle Fire HDX, its 7" model can be had for $229. That doesn't sound that great since that it's every day price, but if you buy it from Staples on Black Friday you can get it a $25 Staples Gift Card with it.

Kindle Fire

Or, if you're OK with getting last year's Amazon Kindle Fire HD, Best Buy will sell it to you for a mere $99. For the money, that's probably the best Android tablet deal you're going to find this year.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3

If you prefer larger tablets, then look for Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 Wi-Fi Tablet. It will be available on Black Friday from many retailers for $299. That's $100 off.

HP Chromebook 14

Except for the Chromebook Pixel, all Chromebooks are cheap. This Black Friday they're even cheaper. Staples looks to have the very best deal. The HP Chromebook 14 is going to be going for a mere $179. That's a savings of almost 50 percent.

System76 Bonobo Extreme

Want a high-end, no-compromises Ubuntu Linux laptop? Then what you want is System76's Bonoboo Extreme. No, at $1,549, it's not cheap, but it is loaded. Even if you don't want to give to little Johnnie maybe you should consider treating yourself with this high-end laptop this holiday season.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, aka sjvn, has been writing about technology and the business of technology since CP/M-80 was the cutting edge, PC operating system; 300bps was a fast Internet connection; WordStar was the state of the art word processor; and we liked it.His work has been published in everything from highly technical publications...
Full Bio